Friday, March 21, 2008

Well I am still tired but can't blame it on Honduras anymore. When we arrived home from the wedding we had new furnace installed. That took a total of three days to accomplish. Then last Saturday we had new kitchen appliances delivered. Fridge, range, dishwasher and microwave. So so you know, these were not just buy new and improved things, these were necessities. The furnace/heat pump was barely working and only worked on emergency heat setting which is far from economical. So this was a have to situation. And as for the appliances; only two burners on the electric cooktop worked and the dishwasher had so many service calls on it that the serviceman told us that it couldn't get anybetter. The microwave had a cracked door but still worked. Kinda worried if those pesky microwaves were escaping. And if you already have issues with brain function you don't want anything else messing up cognitive abilities. We thought about hiring someone for installation but decided to see what we could do ourselves. The fridge we thought you would just hook up water line to ice maker and roll it into place. Wrong! First of all we had a built in oven and cook top over cabinets and are converting into a one piece range and oven. So when we were readying the kitchen for our new stuff, we took out the cabinet under the cooktop to make room for the range. Well this cabinet has the water line to fridge running through it. It was very difficult to get this cabinet out in usable pieces while getting the water line out. Yep, we got a crimp in the copper tubing and we had a leak and had to turn off all the water to the sink. So before we got the appliances we were already in trouble. The problem with the water line is that it runs through places that you can not even get to so replacing the whole thing was not an option unless we tore out all the cabinets. For a minute we thought about not using water line and having icemaker but the new fridge has crushed ice and we needed water to the kitchen sink. So we had to buy stainless steel tubing and cut and connect it to piece that was crimped. No easy task for two old out of shape women. Jig saw was becoming our best friend. We eventually got the water line fixed and no leaks! Feeling good. We were now ready for the delivery!
I am posting a pic from Honduras to show a happier time.....

Saturday, March 15

Well it has been a week since the wedding and I am still tired. I am blaming in on the change to Daylight Savings Time but it may just be old age. I now have four children and Brian has competition for favorite son category. I could not have gone out and found a nicer, caring son in law. It feels good to know that I will never have to worry about if he will be there for Karen and their family. Dorian is a real sweetie. I have watched him cradle the Casa children with tender concern and love. I see the way he looks at Karen with adoration and I also see him giving away his last penny or limpira to those around him. He loves his mother and wants to help her in anyway he can. He loves God and it is so neat to watch his spiritual growth. When we talk he is careful to try not to offend me, especially when we talk online and he isn't sure if I am serious. Dorian Raphael Roche Guido, I am glad that you are my son and I look forward to our relationship growing through out the years.

Saturday,

the day to fly home. We had heard about the snow storms in Columbus and Jen's mom could not fly out of Columbus to come to Honduras. Even worse, she was told that she could not get a seat to Honduras until Tuesday. So we said our goodbyes to the children and workers and made our way to the airport. We made it to Houston but fully expected to have our flight to Columbus cancelled. But even though no other flights had made it in from Houston, ours was still on schedule. As it came time to board they announced that they had overbooked by 19 and were asking for volunteers to give up their seat for hotel and meals and a 500 dollar voucher for future flights. Just as I was considering it, yep, once again they could not promise a flight to Columbus until Tuesday. We finally got to Columbus and the fun began. We had to wait for around an hour for luggage and we were the lucky ones whose luggage got off before the luggage system quit working. With Columbus with 20 inches of snow, there was not much traffic and we had cancelled our pick up ride as they were under snow emergency and could not get to us. So we scrambled for a taxi. An hour later we got one and boy was he crazy. He attempted to drive through a three foot snow bank and bottomed out. So we were stuck crossways on I270 in a taxi. Thankfully, a snow plow got us out after about 20-25 minutes. We arrived at Lisa's apt. where vehicle was and had to dig our way out. Thought about staying there but decided to try it on home......very icy roads but we made it home around 6:30 Sunday morning.

Wedding day continued

This was an awesome day and it was truly beautiful. Afterwards, we cleaned up and then went back to Casa where Karen and Dorian were getting ready to leave on their honeymoon. Ashley and Jen had taken a group from Malone College to the airport to catch their flight home. Where three hours later, they called to tel us that they missed their flight and could not find another flight until Tuesday. In Honduras this is the start of Holy Week and everyone travels and airline flights are scarce. While we were waiting on them. Rudy, one of Casa's children had a goose egg from falling and he had started vomiting so we were scared that he had concussion. But we learned that the vomiting was from eating too many fortune cookies. Also Jen was to be back to take the minister and his family and two of their workers home. Due to troubles at the airport, she could not make it back and Karen and Dorian left for the night at the Mariott with a truckload of Hondurans to deliver home. somehow seems expected here. Karen and Dorian were off and I blubbered through goodbyes with Karen.
some more pics.

Wedding Day

We were up early setting up everything for the wedding and reception and it is going well. Karen has her smile back now that Dorian is back. It is so easy to see the love and respect that they have for each other. They are being good role models for the children of Casa. This was a storybook wedding and they are blessed to marry their best friends....

Thursday

Busy day, transported everything to wedding and reception site. People went into woods to pull pine needles off trees to make a fresh pine path for wedding. Brian got ate up by ants but they got the pine needles. Made final decisions as to what goes where. I should say Karen made the final decisions, she knew what she wanted. A lot of running back and forth and then rode in back of pickup when Karen went to Ojojona to have copies made. She needed copies of a "poem" that going to be read and also the Unity Sand vows for us gringos that won't understand the spanish when it is being read during ceremony. I sat in back of truck while Karen ran in to make copies. I was trying real hard not to get sunburnt and carried sunscreen with bug repellent in my pocket. I lathered myself up while I was waiting and then the vehicles came and dust rolled over me. I was covered by a medium thick layer of dust. The good news is that I did not get sunburnt. While we were at Ojojona, Dorian called and told us that he and his family had arrived by bus at Santa Ana. So off we went to pick them up. We had made up their beds in the dorm and even put chocolates on their pillows to welcome them and of course we had welcome signs. Dorian had his mother, his father, once sister and her son, a cousin and a friend of his mother come from Nic. After introductions, we all cleaned up and headed for the dinner in Karen & Dorian's dinner. It was awesome and went well. I will post a pic of the dinner and also one of the Jesus statue where we all went next. There was probably 40-50 people present for both. The Jesus statue is in a park that is closed at night but they had received permission to visit it after hours. Well we arrived in caravan and waited for probably 30 minutes while the guards conversed with the person who obtained the permission. These guards were wearing fatigues with semi-automatic weapons. Eventually we were let in and the site was awesome and it overlooks the one and half million city of Tegucigalpa. In looking from the mountain down onto the city you could see lights everywhere except for one dark area of the city. Apparently this was the poorest area that was hit by Hurricane Mitch several years ago. Electricity had not returned to this area. We had prayer for Karen and Dorian and this was the first of many cries to come. Dorian's mom was also crying. It seems that she is really close to him and it is apparent how much he cares for her. We returned to Casa and the day was done. We had accomplished all of our tasks for the day with the exception of polishing the boys dress shoes for the next day.

Wednesday

I am tired. very very tired. I honestly do not know how karen does this everyday. Today Karen had kids from 7a-9p because she traded shifts so she did not have to work on Thursday. So this am she and Lisa went into Teguc to get Karen's nails done. Karen wanted to wait until Thursday and I said no way. After all we can watch the three that don't go to school. Yep, school was cancelled but two children went with a group that is currently here from Malone college. So we had 13 kids. They were really very good and we all enjoyed playing with them. Then lunch was ready and they ate and off to nap time they went. Karen got back and after naps and some outside play time., we took the children to practice for wedding...I do not know what karen was thinking. the two oldest boys 9 and 10 will seat guests. The rest will walk in hand in hand by twos; boy and girl with the girls dropping flower petals along the way. Antonio refused to hold anyone's hand. Fernando has the place of honor as ring bearer but seemed put out as he walks in last by himself. By the third time they were tired and cranky but at least understood what they were to do. I convinced Marvin to hold girl's hand by telling him how important this was to Karen. They are going to be so cute but Karen will truly be beautiful Lisa finished the belts for the girls' dresses and Sharon steamed them and Karen's gown. The spoons and platters and tongs were picked up by the caterer and all is go on that point. I am anxious to meet Dorian's parents tomorrow and worry about being able to communicate. There is a dinner tomorrow evening for us all. Tomorrow early we will go to wedding site and rake and sweep and prepare the area. It is truly beautiful. Before showers this evening, Karen gave the children their presents from Joyce and Delaney, new pjs. They are so cute and loved them so much. I will try to post pics if I can find my camera. Everything is picking up from this point on and I feel that I am on a mad rush to get everything remembered and done.
I am eating all the fresh fruit I can and drinking fresh fruit juices from things that dont look like fruit. Rice and beans are fantastic and the cucumbers here are awesome. The tomatoes are so red and ripe also. Well I gotta go get some beauty sleep.........

Tuesday

Karen had to take Dorian to Teguc to catch a bus to Nic. this am. We were leaving at 4am from Casa. Dorian is traveling to Nic. to bring his family back on bus with him for wedding. I woke up at 2:45 and was afraid I would miss alarm or wake everyone else up so I got up, got ready and went to sit on Karen's back porch. Karen got up at 3:45 and pulled on some clothes. Dorian was up and showered and ready to go. We carefully watched for horses on Santa Ana road. We saw 9-10 by the roadside. When we reached Teguc we proceeded into a part of town I had not seen before. Karen said it was a bad part of time but no one else was out yet so it was ok. I did not like the logic of this:(. The bus "station" was a corner with 6-7 people already waiting. We dropped Dorian off and headed back to Casa. By then there were people walking along roads, and activity for the day was beginning. Santa Ana road there were probably 15 horses now and still no sign of their owner. We pulled into Casa and it was 5:30 and Karen said the kids do not get up until 6:30 and they start the day with a devotional....I decided to lay down on couch in the kids playroom so I would be available to help Karen get them ready for school. Dilcia, one of the employees was already up, cleaning. She cleaned around me and I slept until I heard the little voices singing. I got up and joined their group for a short while and when it appeared that Karen had the help she needed, I crawled back to my bed in the dorm. As I got in Lisa got up and said she was going to go help Karen. I slept. I think I could sleep all day and night here. We scraped coconuts clean and played with children. Only three little ones are not in any school. I sent Karen to bed to get a nap because this is going to be an emotional week and she needs her rest and we need her to have her rest. I went to kindergarten to pick up casa kids there. After waiting for 10-15 minutes the children were released and started back home with 4 casa kindergarten kids. Karen was up from her nap when we arrived and she told me to get the 4 kinder kids and the 3 not in school ready for lunch. Sounds easy? No way.But finally they had school uniforms off and dressed for play and then washed hands and sat down for lunch. The ladies who work at Casa do not speak ingles and I do not speak enough to ask questions, but we made it through lunch and I got Lisa to lie down with girls for their naps and Brian to lay down with the boys for theirs. Karen went to get the older kids and they arrived and ate and also lay down with exception of two older ones who stay up and help. Ashley came back after nap time and we were relieved from child care duty. We wanted to go to Ojojona to pick up some souviniers Found several new things made out of pottery and once more I find myself in the situation of trying to get something made of clay on as a carryon and not broken. We returned and then walked to the wedding site to try to firm up what was to go where. We all had different ideas but I guess karen's are the ones that count. An update, while at ojojona Karen received a call from Costa Rican embassy saying they needed something else for his visa application. Karen tried calling his mother in Nic. and Dorian had not arrived to her home yet as he stopped at Nic. Costa Rican embassy. Dorian called Karen eventually and told her that he had the Visa. She wanted to call the one back here and tell them that he had it, not to bother with this application but I cautioned her not to as I do not trust how these things go here. We returned to Casa and were all busy with doing things for the wedding...I was making placards for the guest tables so the tables could be called for food, one table at a time, Sharon was ironing the boys shirts for wedding and Lisa was still working on the songs for the wedding. Then Karen emailed me some things she wanted me to proofread and then email back to her so she could print them out. One was their wedding vows and the other was a poem, "these hands"
They are printing a few copies for us gringos who will not understand the spanish ceremony. I could barely see the computer to make corrections, they were so touching....I will post them later on here for those of you who will not be attending. Finally at 9 this old lady went to get a shower and start thinking of bed. I had done all I could for the day.

Monday

We left Santa Ana around 9a and were headed to the Costa Rican emabassy in Teguc. That is where Karen and Dorian are headed for their honeymoon. Well since Dorian is from Nic. he needs a visa to go to Costa Rica even though he used to live there. We finally found the embassy and he was in and out but with a list of things needed. three pictures of himself, passport style, tickets of where they were going and a letter about his employment. Karen called Casa and Terri retrieved the tickets and wrote the employment letter. We were all over town looking for place to get pic taken but also to have some printed off for the wedding. One place, their machine was down. Another was out of paper so could not do. Eventually we got those done and met up with Terri with the letter. We looked through stores looking for 20 platters for the dip thingy to set on as the caterer did not have those. We ate at mall food court and then took the stuff back to Costa Rican emabassy. They took the stuff and then told him that he would know on Friday if he would be granted a visa. Yep the wedding is Friday. and Yep they had to pay for the trip in advance, paid in full. I offered to go with Karen if Dorian could not go but she gave me that really nasty look. On the way to pay for the rental stuff for wedding, the costa Rican embassy called Dorian told him that the employment letter had to be written in Spanish. and they closed at 4. It was too late to do anything at this point. We decided to tell the rental lady to add 20 large plates to our order ....Believe it or not, renting the tables, chairs and real dishes is cheaper than buying plastic at Sams. That taken care of we went to a home improvement store to find a rasp to file down the half coconut shells so that they would sit nicely on the tables. Then the appt. with the lawyer who was completing the legal part of the ceremony at her office at 5. She was going to do it on Friday with the other but it would add an additional hour on the ceremony. so Karen had this scheduled for this date. We bought pizza to take to the lawyer's office and then proceeded. They read law books and we had to sign and put finger prints on the certificate . My baby was legally married and yep I cried. I cant even tell you yet about the place where the wedding will be.......it looks like a story book.....trying to keep my emotions in check. we went to baskin robbins to celebrate and headed for Santa Ana. It was dark and we watched carefully for horses in the road. A lady who lives near the orphange works for the lawyer so Karen offered her a ride. She got home with us around 7:30, she usually rides the bus and gets home around 9. wow. I had an early night as I decided to head to bed as I decided to get up and go with Karen at 4am....More about that on tomorrow's post.

Sunday

We got up and got ready for church. Karen had to walk over to the property where the wedding is going to be so we got the children to walk to church with us. I kept counting and making sure we had everyone and then confiscating toys from almost all, who were trying to take something to church with them. When we got to church, getting them to sit down in one place was a chore. but finally mission accomplished. Dorian was already there and all he had to say was one word and they listened...Dorian led singing and another man preached. It was good what I could understand. He talked about knowing what something was is not enough, we had to know what it was for. He talked about know that a key was a key meant nothing without knowing what it went to. He likened this to know Christ. thought provoking. After church there was a baptism and karen sent me to her room for her camera as Dorian wanted it for a pic of baptism. I hurried back to find out that the batteries were dead. but a gentleman kept trying to get me to take a pic and I could not communicate with him to explain. I was thinking about pretending to take a pic to get him to leave me be when it was over and I ran from him. Karen had to go pick up Lisa at airport so she left. Dorian was taking care of the visiting ministers so I was in charge of the kids. Elbia had dinner made but she no speak english and I no speak enough spanish........Eventually we got them fed and I got Brian to lay down with the boys for nap and I lay down with girls. Cindy and Monica would not go to sleep but I kept them quiet in their beds. After what seemed like hours later, Karen stuck her head into the room and I got up only to find that Cindy was not in her bed. Luckily for me she was in the bathroom. I went and greeted Lisa and later we all took a walk around property and then to the mountain top where Karen wanted to have the wedding, but decided against. some might call it a hill but to these knees it was indeed a mountain. I will try to post pics of there later if I can find my camera....We watched a beautiful sunset and then I opted for the quicker route down and twisted my knee in a very ungraceful split. and I was standing still. me and Lisa walked, slid and fell down the hill the rest fared better. Sweet Dorian came back to help us......and I was not too proud to accept. The younger ones were talking about games,,,,i was ready for bed. But not before Karen tried on her dress again to make sure it fits still. wow, that dress can bring tears to my eyes in seconds. Visited with Jen for a while and then we lay out all the wedding stuff to see what we had and what we still needed. Next day Karen and Dorian were both off and we were headed to town for the day. I was so tired that I barely heard the rooster........

The boda journey

Boda is wedding, so they tell me. Friday night, Feb. 29th I set off to Columbus to spend the night with Lisa before flying to Honduras for Karen's wedding. I thought I had another 12 hours before the craziness began. Wrong! As I was driving on 33 towards Columbus, Karen called me and told me that she needed my passport number because I was going to be a witness for Karen's legal ceremony. So I said ok, I will call you back with it. No way, She needed it now and would wait on phone for it, as the lawyer was waiting at her office for Karen to call her back. So I am pulling off onto shoulder, getting into my luggage getting my passport and trying to read the numbers by the illumination in the vehicle. Karen was spazzing because she called Lisa to get hers but Lisa was at store and not home with her passport number. Well I was able to read my number and Lisa somehow got her number to Karen. And Karen wanted Sharon's passport number because Brian was not 21 yet and could not be a witness. So I am demanding that Sharon tell Karen her passport number as we are sitting along the road and Sharon had no clue as to why it was important but she played along. Well at least we knew we had our passports with us. It was then I realized that it was already beginning. My life is usually pretty crazy but add the word Honduras to it and it goes really haywire. Oh I forgot to tell you Karen called me earlier in the day to tell me that we would have to get 40-50 lbs of coffee beans because.......the coffee beans available in Honduras were the wrong color and did not look right for the decorations that were planned for the wedding. That is why Lisa was at the store....buying coffee beans to take to a country that grows coffee. See what I mean? So I was thankful that I did not have to stop and buy the coffee beans. So we dropped off Kaitlyn (Sharon's granddaughter) in Lancaster at her Jason's and we were ready to roll. As we were heading out the door, Jason told us to take a box with us that Jen had for us. Yep, it was the 150 fortune cookies dipped in pink and brown decorations and their names and date of wedding in side. And I had forgotten all about them...Forgot that Jen was giving them to Karen and Dorian for the wedding present, forgot that I was to pick them up and take them to Honduras.......
So we made it to Lisa's and as I got ready for bed, I realized that I did not have my pajamas that I had lain out to sleep in at Lisa's and did not want to go through the huge pieces of luggage to find the others. So Lisa found me her baggiest, biggest clothes and I went to get a drink and then returned to get ready for bed. I had not only left my pajamas at home, I had lost the ones that Lisa gave me. with Lisa's help we located the ones she gave me. (In the bathroom where I am sure I did not leave them) I had trouble sleeping, always afraid that I would oversleep for a big occasion. We were up at 5a and Lisa dropped us at airport. All my bags were within the weight limit if only by a couple lbs. Oh and the coffee was distributed between three of us so we would not have to answer questions as to importing coffee. The flight to Houston was good and there we met Brian. We ate lunch and then I hurried everyone to the gate because we would probably start boarding in 15-20 minutes....well it eventually dawned on me that Ihad not set my watch back and We had an hour and 15-20 minutes before they even thought about boarding. Sharon and Brian already knew this but just decided not to argue with me at this point. The flight to Tegucigalpa was fine until Sharon overheard the stewardesses talking about the scary landing at Teguc. This was her first flight to Hondo land. Well for the last seemingly miles we flew barely above huts and could look out and see people on hills, eye level with us. And then the fun began, the plane acted much like a plane avoiding tracer fire by alternating wing dips from left to right and just before the wheels touched down, we were vertical to the ground with left wing pointing directly down and out window could see the expressions on Hondurans faces. them immediately we were back horizontal and touchdown with immediate full brake applied. Yes there was applause by all.... We made it through customs and picked up our bags (they evidently had not found the smuggled coffee) :) Karen and her dad were there to help us drag our bags to the car. We then went to a Sams like store for Pepsi light and snacks. Then we went to Tony Romas for supper and then on to Santa Ana. We came very close to the back end of a horse. There were 4-5 in the middle of the road. Oh and we passed probably 5-6 slower moving vehicles going up the mountain. And on these occasions, vehicles are three wide....Karen who in the States is very cautious driver becomes truly honduruan behind the wheel of a vehicle.......Her father was hanging on with both hands and Sharon was yelling in fear..But we arrived safely at Casa. It is always sweet to have the little ones hug my neck and call me grandma nita.......but then since I just had a birthday, Karen taught Mavin to call me "old lady" and try as I might I could not catch him as he ran around their dining table calling "Hello old lady". maybe some night when he is asleep.....It is scary when you plan revenge on 8 year olds. Off to bed and tired as we were, it was a very noisy night. Some type of fruit tree had branches that hang over part of the dorm and they fall off all night long and then there is the rooster that did not receive the proper training from his parents and cock a doodles doos all night yes all night about every 5 minutes.
end of day one in Hondo...